Fading Suns

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Fading Suns
The Dying Suns
publication
Author (s) Andrew Greenberg and Bill Bridges , Alex Wichert
Original publisher Holistic Design , currently: Ulisses Games
Original publication 1996 (1st Edition), 1999 (2nd Edition)
German publisher Full Moon Publishing ( Mario Truant Verlag ), since 2017 Ulisses Spiele
German publication 1998
World and system
genre Science fiction
Game world diverse worlds at the end of the 5th millennium
Basic system Victory Point System, also OGL W20
Ascent no levels, XP purchase system
cube W20, since 2nd edition also W6

Fading Suns is a science fiction - RPG of Holistic design . Thebackground, basedon Space Operas , was also used for a computer game ( Emperor of the Fading Suns ), a live role-playing game ( Passion Play ), and a space combat miniature game ( Noble Armada ).

background

Fading Suns is set against the backdrop of a futuristic empire with medieval elements, built on the remains of a more advanced civilization. This ancient civilization spanned the entire galaxy and was connected by enigmatic "gates" that are themselves the relics of an even older, not necessarily human, civilization. The atmosphere is strongly reminiscent of Frank Herbert's Dune - The Desert Planet and Dan Simmons ' Hyperion / Endymion cycle. Power rests in the hands of noble houses, guilds and the Holy Church. Psionic skills exist, but psykers are often hunted down and killed (or converted and incorporated into the church - where they are viewed as 'miracles of faith') by the church. The Church also has effective miracles and theurgical rites. Although most conflicts arise from the strict rules to which everyday life in the empire is subject, there are still many opportunities for adventure: After the fall of the old order and the following dark centuries, many worlds have fallen back into a primitive state and There are many extraterrestrial dangers lurking in the darkness of the room.

Players take on the role of nobles, guild members or clergy, and there is also the option to play aliens . A comprehensive series of background volumes describes places (planets, space stations, and entire sectors in space), extraterrestrial cultures, smaller noble houses, guilds, sects, monsters and secret conspiracies, thus expanding the thematic possibilities of the background.

Editions and System

Fading Suns was first published between 1996 and 1999. This includes the publications First Edition Rulebook , Gamemasters Screen First Edition , Forbidden Lore: Technology , Byzantium Secundus , Players Compendium , Lords of the Known Worlds , The Dark between the Stars , Merchants of the Jumpweb , Weird Places , Priests of the Celestial Sun , Children of the Gods and Sinners & Saints . The First Edition uses the so-called Victory Point System (VPS).

With the Second Edition, which appeared from 1999, the Victory Point System was slightly changed. However, both versions of the system are compatible with each other. With the boom of the d20 system, Holistic Design decided to bring out books with the d20 system in parallel to their own system . The main set of rules Fading Suns: d20 and the player's manual d20 Character Codex were published . After the appearance of the d20 line, the background volumes appeared as "dual stat", which means that the rules for both the Victory Point System and the d20 are given.

In 2016 Ulisses Spiele took over the rights to the series from HDI and has since worked on a new edition with Bill Bridges.

developer

The developers of Fading Suns are Andrew Greenberg and Bill Bridges , best known for developing the role-playing games Vampires: The Masquerade and Werewolf: The Apocalypse for White Wolf . Since RedBrick Limited acquired the license, Alex Wichert has been responsible for the development of the role-playing game.

German publications & other languages

The German Mario Truant Verlag held the license for a German edition and, with Full Moon Publishing, published some of the rules of the first edition in German:

  • 1998 Fading Suns
  • 1998 Fading Sun's game director's screen
  • 1999 Forbidden Knowledge: Technology

After the license expires, there is currently no German edition, although RedBrick announced that the game will also be released in German in the future, but only with the third edition. Fading Suns has also been translated and published in Poland, France and Italy.

On November 1, 2016, Ulisses Spiele announced that it had acquired the rights to Fading Suns and that it was releasing a new German and English version.

Web links